Oral cavity treatment device and kit

Abstract

An oral cavity treatment device including a power component and a tray component that are detachably coupled together. The power component may include a housing having a cavity and a power source located therein. The tray component may include a tooth receiving channel and may have a first electrode and a second electrode located on opposite sides of the tooth receiving channel. The tray component may be detachably coupled to the power component in: (1) a first configuration whereby the first electrode is operably coupled to a positive terminal of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to a negative terminal of the power source; and (2) a second configuration whereby the first electrode is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An oral cavity treatment device comprising:
 a power component comprising a housing having a cavity and a power source located in the cavity; 
 a tray component comprising a tooth receiving channel, a first electrode operably coupled to a first electrical contact, and a second electrode operably coupled to a second electrical contact, the first and second electrodes being located on opposite sides of the tooth receiving channel; and 
 wherein the tray component is detachably coupled to the power component in: (1) a first configuration whereby the first electrical contact is operably coupled to a positive terminal of the power source and the second electrical contact is operably coupled to a negative terminal of the power source; and (2) a second configuration whereby the first electrical contact is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source and the second electrical contact is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source; 
 wherein the housing of the power component comprises a first engagement surface and the tray component comprises a second engagement surface that mates with the first engagement surface when the tray component is attached to the power component. 
 
     
     
       2. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 1  wherein altering the coupling between the tray component and the power component from the first configuration to the second configuration comprises detaching the tray component from the power component and then reattaching the tray component to the power component in a different relative configuration. 
     
     
       3. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 1  wherein altering the coupling between the tray component and the power component from the first configuration to the second configuration comprises detaching the tray component from the power component, rotating one of the tray component and the power component 180° relative to the other one of the tray component and the power component, and then reattaching the tray component to the power component. 
     
     
       4. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 1  further comprising a first connection cavity and a second connection cavity formed into the first engagement surface of the housing of the power component, a third electrical contact located within the first connection cavity and operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source and a fourth electrical contact located within the second connection cavity and operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source, wherein the first electrical contact of the tray component contacts one of the third and fourth electrical contacts to operably couple the first electrode to one of the positive and negative terminals of the power source, and wherein the second electrical contact of the tray component contacts the other of the third and fourth electrical contacts to operably couple the second electrode to the other one of the positive and negative terminals of the power source. 
     
     
       5. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 4  further comprising a first protuberance and a second protuberance extending from the second engagement surface of the tray, the first electrical contact being located on the first protuberance and the second electrical contact being located on the second protuberance, and wherein the first protuberance is disposed within one of the first and second connection cavities and the second protuberance is disposed within the other one of the first and second connection cavities to couple the tray component to the power component. 
     
     
       6. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 the tray component comprising:
 a first mechanical connector, the first electrical contact being located along the first mechanical connector; and 
 a second mechanical connector, the second electrical contact being located along the second mechanical connector; 
 
 the housing of the power component comprising:
 a third mechanical connector, a third electrical contact that is operably coupled to a positive terminal of the power source being located along the third mechanical connector; and 
 a fourth mechanical connector, a fourth electrical contact that is operably coupled to a negative terminal of the power source being located along the second mechanical connector. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 6  further comprising:
 wherein in the first configuration the first mechanical connector is coupled to the third mechanical connector so that the first electrical contact is in contact with the third electrical contact and the second mechanical connector is coupled to the fourth mechanical connector so that the second electrical contact is in contact with the fourth electrical contact; and 
 wherein in the second configuration the first mechanical connector is coupled to the fourth mechanical connector so that the first electrical contact is in contact with the fourth electrical contact and the second mechanical connector is coupled to the third mechanical connector so that the second electrical contact is in contact with the third electrical contact. 
 
     
     
       8. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 6  wherein the first and second mechanical connectors comprise a protuberance extending from a rear surface of the tray component and wherein the third and fourth mechanical connectors comprise a cavity that is configured to receive one of the protuberances. 
     
     
       9. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first protuberance extending from a rear surface of the tray component, the first electrical contact being exposed on a distal end of the first protuberance; 
 a second protuberance extending from a rear surface of the tray component, the second electrical contact being exposed on a distal end of the second protuberance; 
 a first connection cavity formed into the housing of the power component, a third electrical contact that is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source being located on a floor of the first connection cavity; 
 a second connection cavity formed into the housing of the power component, a fourth electrical contact that is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source being located on a floor of the second connection cavity; 
 wherein in the first configuration the first protuberance is disposed within the first connection cavity and the first electrical contact is in contact with the third electrical contact and the second protuberance is disposed within the second connection cavity and the second electrical contact is in contact with the fourth electrical contact; and 
 wherein in the second configuration the first protuberance is disposed within the second connection cavity and the first electrical contact is in contact with the fourth electrical contact and the second protuberance is disposed within the first connection cavity and the second electrical contact is in contact with the third electrical contact. 
 
     
     
       10. An oral cavity treatment device comprising:
 a tray component comprising a first electrode and a second electrode located on opposite sides of a tooth receiving channel, a first connection member comprising a first mechanical connector and a first electrical contact that is operably coupled to the first electrode, and a second connection member comprising a second mechanical connector and a second electrical contact that is operably coupled to the second electrode; 
 a power component comprising a cavity that houses a power source, a third connection member comprising a third mechanical connector and a third electrical contact that is operably coupled to a positive terminal of the power source, and a fourth connection member comprising a third mechanical connector and a fourth electrical contact that is operably coupled to a negative terminal of the power source; 
 wherein the tray component and the power component are detachably coupled together and can be altered between: (1) a first assembled configuration whereby: (a) the first and third connection members mate so that the first and third mechanical connectors are coupled together and the first and third electrical contacts are in contact to couple the first electrode to the positive terminal of the power source; and (b) the second and fourth connection members mate so that the second and fourth mechanical connectors are coupled together and the second and fourth electrical contacts are in contact to couple the second electrode to the negative terminal of the power source; (2) a second assembled configuration whereby: (a) the first and fourth connection members mate so that the first and fourth mechanical connectors are coupled together and the first and fourth electrical contacts are in contact to couple the first electrode to the negative terminal of the power source; and (b) the second and third connection members mate so that the second and third mechanical connectors are coupled together and the second and third electrical contacts are in contact to couple the second electrode to the positive terminal of the power source; and (3) a disassembled configuration whereby the tray component and the power component are separated from one another. 
 
     
     
       11. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 10  wherein the first and second mechanical connectors comprise the same one of a protuberance and a cavity and the third and fourth mechanical connectors comprise the other one of the protuberance and the cavity. 
     
     
       12. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 11  wherein the first and second mechanical connectors comprise the protuberance, the first and second electrical contacts being exposed along the protuberance, and wherein the third and fourth mechanical connectors comprise the cavity, the third and fourth electrical contacts being recessed relative to an outer surface of the power component within the cavities. 
     
     
       13. The oral cavity treatment device according to  claim 10  wherein altering the coupling between the tray component and the power component from the first attached configuration to the second attached configuration comprises detaching the tray component from the power component, rotating one of the tray component and the power component 180° relative to the other one of the tray component and the power component, and then reattaching the tray component to the power component. 
     
     
       14. An oral cavity treatment kit comprising:
 a power component comprising a housing having a cavity and a power source located in the cavity, the power source comprising a positive terminal and a negative terminal; 
 a first tray component comprising a tooth receiving channel defined between inner and outer sidewalls, a first electrode located along the inner sidewall, and a second electrode located along the outer sidewall; and 
 a second tray component comprising a tooth receiving channel defined between inner and outer sidewalls, a first electrode located along the inner sidewall, and a second electrode located along the outer sidewall; 
 wherein at least one of:
 the first electrode of the first tray component is formed from a different material than the first electrode of the second tray component; and 
 the second electrode of the first tray component is formed from a different material than the second electrode of the second tray component; 
 
 wherein the first tray component is detachably coupled to the power component so that the first electrode is operably coupled to one of the positive and negative terminals of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the other one of the positive and negative terminals of the power source; and 
 wherein the second tray component is detachably coupled to the power component so that the first electrode is operably coupled to one of the positive and negative terminals of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the other one of the positive and negative terminals of the power source. 
 
     
     
       15. The oral cavity treatment kit according to  claim 14  wherein the first tray component is configured to be coupled to the power component so that the first electrode is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source, and wherein the second tray component is configured to be coupled to the power component so that the first electrode is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source. 
     
     
       16. The oral cavity treatment kit according to  claim 14  wherein the coupling of each of the first and second tray components to the power component is alterable between: (1) a first configuration whereby the first electrode is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source; and (2) a second configuration whereby the first electrode is operably coupled to the negative terminal of the power source and the second electrode is operably coupled to the positive terminal of the power source. 
     
     
       17. The oral cavity treatment kit according to  claim 14  wherein the first and second tray components comprise protuberances that are received within cavities of the power component when the first and second tray components are coupled to the power component, and wherein the first and second tray components comprise electrical contacts located along the protuberances and the power component comprises electrical contacts located within the cavities that are operably coupled to the positive and negative terminals of the power source, respectively, so that the electrical contacts of the first and second tray components come into contact with the electrical contacts of the power component when the first and second tray components are coupled to the power component to couple the first and second electrodes of the first and second tray components to the power source. 
     
     
       18. The oral cavity treatment kit according to  claim 14  wherein mechanically coupling the first tray component to the power component causes the first and second electrodes of the first tray component to become electrically coupled to the power source, and wherein mechanically coupling the second tray component to the power component causes the first and second electrodes of the second tray component to become electrically coupled to the power source. 
     
     
       19. The oral cavity treatment kit according to  claim 14  wherein the first and second trays are structurally identical except with regard to the first and second materials of the first and second electrodes.